Glass Butterfly
In the wild, the behavior of these fragile butterflies changes drastically from those individuals who have bonded to a magi. Unbonded glass butterflies migrate year-round, never staying long in one place. The butterflies appear to make it their goal to explore the entire world, and once an individual has visited somewhere, it is incredibly unlikely they will ever return to the same area. The more places they have visited, the more colorful their wings become, with deep greens, blues and pinks visible on the wings of the oldest members of the species. These creatures have a keen sense of magic and can sense its presence, no matter how small. These butterflies do not eat, and receive sustenance instead from magic itself. Butterflies who have not bonded to a magi will absorb wild or untamed magic in the world, and it is thought that they prevent catastrophes or imbalances in nature from occurring by doing this. Unlike their lives as hatchlings, glass butterflies absorb magic permanently, removing it entirely from whatever area or object the butterfly chooses. When a wild butterfly dies, others will flock to the body, burying it and absorbing the magic the butterfly leaves behind. However, if the butterfly dies violently, a small explosion of magic will be easily sensed by those sensitive to it. When these butterflies migrate through an area, magi do their best to protect the creatures from people who would harm them or use their absorbed magic for nefarious purposes. Perhaps due to the effects of magic they absorb, or merely their sensitivity to it, the wings of these butterflies are both as hard and brittle as glass. Egg This egg is perfectly round. Hatchling Glass butterfly caterpillars have a very short duration from egg to adulthood, and spend most of their time staring at the sky, as if dreaming of the wings they will one day have. They do not eat, and will instead absorb the magic from things around them, including their magi. This is temporary, and the effect of being near one is similar to casting a spell. A magi will never become exhausted by being near a hatchling, as though the hatchling understands when it has absorbed magic to someone's limit. Once the caterpillar has absorbed enough magic, it will enter its cocoon and begin the metamorphosis into adulthood. Adult Unlike some species of magical creature, who will bond even with people who have no magic, glass butterflies bond only with those who have potential for magic, and the stronger the magi, the more loyal the butterfly. It is not uncommon to see particularly powerful students at the Keep with a butterfly on their head or shoulder, before they have trained these companions to fully obey them. These butterflies are of great use to magi when they seek out new students who are eligible to attend the Keep. The butterflies will pick out those who have magical potential, and will even gently alight on an infant's head if the child will grow to have magical power one day. Some magi are concerned that bonded butterflies, similar to the way their wild, migratory brethren absorb wild magic, slowly absorb a magi's magic permanently and ultimately weaken them, but no studies have suggested this to be true. There are magi who have had hundreds of these butterfly companions and never noticed a reduction in their own magical strength. However, there are also old tales of these butterflies being used to weaken the magic of evil magi permanently. Additional Information *No. 724 *Obtained from the Donation Shop for 2 (December 2016/January 2017) *Released: December 15th, 2016 *Sprites: Jrap17 *Description: Raneth *Transforming: **Day - blue **Midday - green **Night - pink *Breeding: No Category:2016 Creatures Category:Donation Category:Artist: Jrap17 Category:Butterflies Category:Transforming